I have only ever used Windows and am a complete newbie with linux. I wanted to install a dual boot with XP and Mint 13 (32-bit) so I could ease my way into linux.So... Installed Mint 13/MATE on a second hard drive (slaved to a master hard drive with windows xp installed). After the install, I rebooted but Windows booted as usual instead of seeing any dual boot loader screen.I changed the boot order in the BIOS to boot to the second drive first and although Windows did not boot, I got the following screen:

Gave up waiting for root device. Common problems:-Boot args (cat /proc/cmdline) -Check rootdelay= (did the system wait long enough?) -Check root= (did the system wait for the right device?)-Missing modules (cat /proc/modules; ls /dev)ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/77478168-2ed7-4c0e-55b3e2f68d75 does not exist.Dropping to a shell!

I have always used GAG bootloader. It worked well with Ubuntu but needed the Grub to be moved to the partition on which you installed the Linux o/s. GAG did not like any version over 1. Legacy Grub did very well but when I tried recently it had been removed from the options in Terminal commands. However Linux Mint Debian installs OK but remember to put Grub into the partition you installed LMDE. You will be asked during the installation on which partition you want Grub. I don't know what version of Grub is used but GAG bootloader works like a dream. Not like a nightmare!!!!

Busybox or Initramfs: GRUB 2 began the boot process but there was a problem passing control to the operating system. Possible causes include an incorrect UUID or root= designation in the 'linux' line or a corrupted kernel.

I have no idea what that means but it matches references in the error message in my original post.It goes on to say that this problem can normally be corrected from a GRUB2 Terminal or a LiveCD.If anyone has any ideas about the proper command strings to input (and where to input them), I would be most grateful.

Otherwise, I wonder if the Boot-Repair app would (help) solve my problems? Thanks,Frederator

Sorry I've no idea about geekspeak. Been having the same problem (of geekspeak) trying to solve my sound problem withLMDE. Minters try to help and are most generous but seem to be on a much higher strata computerwise than me. Some problems are not for the likes of me -- a computer dumkoff!! Best of luck

All of these entries show... Owner: rootType: Link to block device (inode/blockdevice) and all are 0 bytes.

The boot error from my original post contained the following:ALERT! /dev/disk/by-uuid/77478168-2ed7-4c0e-55b3e2f68d75 does not exist.This is one of the items listed in /by-uuid folder so maybe if the boot loader could see this drive, the problem might be solved(?)Any advice is welcome.Thanks,Frederator

Booted to Grub2 Boot-Repair CD and did the recommended repair. The repair failed as I got the exact same error message as in my original post. The Boot-Repair generated report can be found at: http://paste2.org/p/2505226Any help is appreciated.Thanks,Frederator

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom #### This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change# the 'exec tail' line above.### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom #### This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries. Simply type the# menu entries you want to add after this comment. Be careful not to change# the 'exec tail' line above.

Hi Wayne128 and thanks a lot for responding. I edited the grub.cfg file to reflect your suggestion but the error message in my original post still came up, as usual, when I rebooted.One thing I've noticed is that when I boot up and choose Mint from grub, I usually get a black screen first time. I reboot a second time and choose Mint from grub and it opens to the error message (but after typing 'exit', Mint boots fine). Also, if I choose Windows XP from the grub, it boots right up into my xp desktop. If you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears. Thanks again for trying to help a noob. Frederator

Could you try this - this is only temporary, but just to see if it is the problem:When you boot and the Grub menu appears, with Mint entry highlighted, press e to editUse down arrow to get to the "linux" line.At the end of the line add rootdelay=120press Ctrl+X to bootIt may take a long time to boot, but it's just to see if it does boot without going to the prompt.

Yes, caribriz, adding rootdelay=120 to the Grub menu as you suggested allowed Mint to boot without going to the prompt. Joy!Now, how can I edit the file to make it permanent and where exactly does the rootdelay= entry go in the file? Does the value have to be as much as 120?You da man!Thanks for your input.Frederator

I think you'll have to experiment with the number - reading various scenarios I've seen 50 ... 90.Edit - having another look around, I saw one instance as low as 9. Also examples using 10 and 30. So, whatever works for your situation, I guess.

I'd experiment temporarily, as before (editing Grub menu line temporarily at boot) until you get it right, then if all ok, edit the file.

Thanks again, caribriz, for the editing instructions. I settled on 50 and that boots without the prompt.However, I have to reboot the machine twice. The first boot into Grub shows the first Mint entry highlighted and and in 5-10 seconds (with no input from me) goes to a black screen (no blinking cursor in the upper right corner). I then have to reboot again and this time the Grub menu won't make a choice until I press <enter> to activate the highlighted Mint entry. After that I get a dark screen but this time there is a blinking cursor in the upper left corner until it boots into Mint.The next question is how to get Grub to automatically select the Mint entry and boot straight into the desktop without the second boot and the user input.Any ideas?Thanks again for all your help.Frederator

Very odd that it would "one-boot" with a value of 50 when you manually edited the Grub entry, but not with the edited file

When you do eventually boot into the Mint desktop, does everything work normally?

I wonder what would happen if you re-edit /etc/default/grub and change the line back to 120 and see if you still have the "double-boot" problem.As before, save the file then sudo update-grub, then reboot.

You could try giving the GRUB_TIMEOUT line a bigger value, say 20GRUB_TIMEOUT=20

Maybe this will give it more time - which may (or may not ) be the original problem.

Also removing the words quiet splash from the line so it just readsGRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="rootdelay=50"may throw some light on any errors, because instead of just the black screen before the login screen appears, you should get text readout while it boots up.

We have lift off! I made the changes you recommended and then rebooted. Grub counted 20 seconds, then went to the plain black screen for a couple minutes before flashing a bunch of text output on the screen, then booting right into the desktop. Its not the fastest boot I've ever seen but it is working without any input from me.I am including the final Grub file.